Studies on 3-methylhistidine metabolism in children with protein-energy malnutrition.

Twenty-four hour urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine (3-MeHis) was determined in children suffering from severe and moderate degrees of protein-energy malnutrition before and after treatment. Excretion of 3-MeHis was decreased both in children with severe protein-energy malnutrition and during undernutrition and increased considerably after treatment. The results suggest that there is a quantitative as well as a qualitative change in 3-MeHis metabolism in protein-energy malnutrition. A sensitive index for studying muscle protein metabolism is not available so far. Studies reported herein seem to suggest that 3-MeHis may fulfill such a requirement.